A Smart First Grader

Okay, I admit - my son talks a lot. But so did I when I was a child...okay I still do. And apparently my husband did too in school. My son has been getting some 'bad marks" in school for talking too much. As the weeks have gone on I have found out they have very strict rules in the school about talking - they can't talk in the bathrooms or in the halls at all. Now, kids have to be kids, right? But they also have to learn the rules too. I know it's hard, but it's a part of life.

Anyhow, back to my son. As the bad marks kept coming home, we had to sit down and talk to him about why he was talking so much in class. We came to find out that he is getting done with is assignments quickly in class and starts talking to the other kids. He told me the worksheets are easy and it takes him no time at all to do them.

They were told they could only read during this time from the teacher. I suggested he ask the teacher if there was anything else he could do during this time. Raise your hand and ask. It doesn't hurt to ask.

He did this the next day and was told he can pick something from the fun pack - the fun pack has word searches, connect the dots and other fun, learning worksheets in it. A few days later she also told him he can write in his notebook or journal.

This has helped to minimize the talking. He is getting better marks and is enjoying writing a story in his notebook.

It's been hard to convince the teacher in first grade that the assignment's and worksheets are easy for him. I'm just the parent and every child thinks their kid is smarter than the rest, but my son is excelling in most things at school. He is now meeting with the Project Arrow (gifted) teacher twice a week to enhance the skills he is learning in the classroom. He is reading at a third or fourth grade level and we as his parents are struggling to keep up. Every book he brings home to read and write a book report on is too easy for him.

He is now reading a Magic Treehouse Book and I'm amazed that he knows all the words - Emperor, Tokyo, audience are some of the harder words that he has no trouble with.

I sound like I'm complaining and I'm not. I am thrilled that I have a smart kid. It's just hard to keep him challenged every waking hour of the day. He gets bored very easily and then gets himself in trouble. We are still learning how to deal with this at home. I hope we have it covered now at school, but time will tell.

I am proud of him. He is excelling in school at 6 years old. Let's hope it continues until he's well into college and beyond! This is one proud momma realizing yet again, another beautiful day!

To Write or Not To Write...that is the question

So I have always wanted to be a writer. An author of a book. It doesn't matter what kind of book, it's just always been my dream. I have so many ideas, but can't quite bring it all together. I don't know what kind of book either. Intrigued about children's books - but there are SO many. Would love to write a romance novel ~ but would my husband wonder where all the ideas came from? LOL. And a mystery - not sure I could be that creative.

So, my local library is participating in the National Novel Writing Month. The idea is to write a 50,000 word novel between Nov 1 and Nov 31st. Trying to decide if I should take up the challenge. That's about 1600 words a day. Wow, that's a lot. And again, I have no idea what to write about...however - I think the challenge would be good for me - at least to start the idea and start my dream......oh to dream of becoming a published author - I already am technically....

Did my first magazine article last month. For a local magazine - I have worked with the editor in the past and when I lost my job contacted him about writing for the magazine. He gave me a shot and I wrote a great piece on local bakeries...which got published. It was so exciting for me...I felt like a child who got a 100% on a paper! And they have contacted me for the next issue, so I hope that work will continue. Have yet to receive that check...but I would have done it for free (just don't ever tell them that!)

So, back to the book. I have done some research and it has said to keep a notebook with you and write ideas in it, people you see at stores that you can use as characters. I might just do that, begin to brainstorm a bit more and start taking this dream seriously....

Ah, another beautiful day!